Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-15
THE CHARGE AT cHlCKAMAUGA.
A Statement OF What the Soldiers Did
for Themselves Without Orders.


One of the splendid battles of the war
WAS that OF Chattanooga. In The Century
Gen. Fullerton tells the story Of the firing
OF the signal guns to take the rifle pits az
the base of the ridge occupied by Bragg,
and the rush Of 20, 900 men. The general
saws. The enemy were thrown into con
fusion and took precipitate flight up the
ridge He adds Many prisoners and
large number of small arms were cap
tured " And now follows clear state
ment of what the soldiers did for them
sclycs-a most instructive and brilliant
passage:
The order Of the commanding general
had now been fully and most successfully
carried out But it did not go far enough
to satisfy these brave men. who thought
the time had come Ia finish the battle Of
Chickamauga There was a halt of but
n few minutes. Ia take breath and To re-
form the lines; then, with a sudden inn
pulse, all started up the side of the ridge.
Not commanding officer had given the
order to advance. The men who carried
the muskets had taken the matter into
their own hands, had moved Of their own
accord Officers, catching their spirit,
/ first followed, then led There was no
thought Of protecting hanks. though the
euemy's line could he seen stretching he
ynnd on either side: there was no thought
of support or reserves
As soon as this movement was seen
from Orchard Knob Grant quickly turned
10 Thomas who stood by his side, and |
heard him angrily say Thomas, who or
dcred those men up the ridge Thomas
replied in his usual slow. quiet manner:
Il don't know. did not Then, address
ing Gen Gorlon Granger, he said: Did
YOU order them up. Granger No. said
Granger: they started up without orders.
When those fellows get started all hell
can't stop them Gen. Grant said some
thing to the effect that somebody would
suffer If it did not turn out well. and then,
turning round, stoically watched the
ridge He gave no further orders.
AS soon n Granger had replied to
Thomas he turned tO me, his chief OF
staff and said: Ride AT once TO Wood and
then to Sheridan and ask them if they or
dered their men up the ridge, and tel;
them. if they can take il, 10 push ahead
As was mounting Granger added: 1t II
hot over there and you may not get
through ! shall send Capt. Avery 10
Sheridan and other officers after both OF
YOU A. fast as my horse could carry
me rode first to Gen Wood and delivered
the message Il didn't order them up,
! said Wo"d, they started up on their own
account and they are going up. too. Tell
Granger, if We are supported, We will take
and hold the ridge AS soon as ! reached
Gen Wood, Capt. Avery sot to Gen.
Sheridan and delivered his message. i
didn't order them up, said Sheridan,
but We are going 10 take the ridge. He
then asked Avery for his flask and waved
it at a group of Confederate officers stand
ing just i'll front of Bragg's headquarters
with the salu.ation, Here's at your At
once two guis-the Lady Breckenridge
and the Lady Buckner-in front Of
Braggs headquarters were fired at Sheri-
dan and the group Of officers about him.
One shell struck 80 near as 10 throw dirt
over Sheridan and Avery. All. said the
general, that is ungenerous. | shall take
those guns for that, and he did, and q
good many more